<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>home is wherever i'm with you by hanzios</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28091358">home is wherever i'm with you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanzios/pseuds/hanzios'>hanzios</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The 100 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:08:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,589</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28091358</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanzios/pseuds/hanzios</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Miller gives Jackson the greatest gift of all: a home.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eric Jackson &amp; Gaia, Eric Jackson/Nathan Miller, Gaia/Clarke Griffin, Nathan Miller &amp; Gaia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>home is wherever i'm with you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title is from edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Home is wherever I’m with you</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Their home is the last that gets built.</p><p>And it’s mostly Miller’s fault.</p><p>A week ago, Miller had laid Jackson off of construction. At first Jackson thought it was because he wasn’t really as strong and as much of a handyman as the others, but Miller had instantly eradicated that thought, explaining that he wanted it to be a surprise.</p><p>That he wanted it to be a gift for him. For the both of them.</p><p>So, during the days Miller is off finishing their new home, Jackson hangs around the others’ cabins, talking and cooking and killing time.</p><p>He particularly enjoys going to Niylah’s, mostly because they’re the closest friends. But as of late, Jackson has been going to Clarke and Gaia’s more frequently.</p><p>The two women have decided to share a space together a month after transcendence. They settled their relationship quite longer than Jackson was expecting, actually. And so far, they look happy together. Their cottage is a little deeper into the forest, with a small porch and a special dog house for Picasso.</p><p>Today, Jackson goes to visit them again after Miller took off early to finish their house. The doctor doesn’t stay in their makeshift shelter made of shrubbery and leaves any more than he needs to, so, since he can’t work, he socializes instead. Admittedly, he’s not used to so much conversation, but it’s better than nothing.</p><p>“Good morning, Jackson,” Gaia greets, kneeling on the soil at the side of the house as she inspects the ground. Her skin glistens under the sun. She looks like she’s been here for a while.</p><p>“You look busy,” he says, walking closer. “Need any help?”</p><p>She smiles. “I could use a hand with this.”</p><p>Jackson goes down on one knee. Gaia takes a handful of hard soil and feels it with her fingertips. Curious, Jackson asks, “What are you doing?”</p><p>“I’m checking to see if it’s okay to plant here,” she replies. “Clarke and I want to grow our own food, and I want to make sure the soil is good enough.”</p><p>Jackson doesn’t pretend to know the basics of gardening. He thinks it’s just digging and planting, but clearly, there’s much more to it than he realizes. Growing up on the Ark, he would only get to touch soil in Earth Skills or when he’s going through Farm Station. When they got to Earth, he didn’t have time to appreciate nature, either. It was less than a year later when they were trapped under a cold, dark bunker, so detached from anything so beautiful.</p><p>He thinks this is the perfect time to learn. And besides, when Miller finishes their house, they’ll need a vegetable garden, too. Jackson thinks it’ll be a great hobby to pick up.</p><p>“Is this soil… good enough?” he touches the ground, feeling the solid piece of earth underneath his palm.</p><p>“Yes,” Gaia nods. “The other side of the cabin is too wet.” She rises to grab the hoe leaning against their house, and hands it to Jackson. “Give it a try.”</p><p>He accepts it eagerly, grateful to be of use. Gaia steps aside so Jackson has a clear spot to break the soil. He hacks the hoe at the ground, as per Gaia’s instructions.</p><p>“Is it weird I miss manual labor?” he asks, only partly joking.</p><p>“Miller still hasn’t let you help with the house?” she asks. Jackson continues to till, his back turned on her confused expression.</p><p>“No,” he replies, a tinge of sadness in his voice. “I keep insisting, but he won’t budge, since he wanted it to be–“</p><p>“A surprise, yes,” Gaia finishes. They’ve had this conversation before. “Miller is a romantic. Who knew?”</p><p>Jackson looks over his shoulder. <em>I did, </em>he wanted to say. But he only shoots her a smile before going back to work. Once he finishes a row that meets Gaia’s standards, he wipes at his sweaty forehead. It’s particularly hot today, and him wearing a sweater isn’t helping.</p><p>“Where did you say Clarke was?” Jackson asks, putting down the hoe to take off his sweater. He lets the warm air greet him as he throws the piece of cloth over the handrail.</p><p>“She’s walking Picasso,” Gaia replies with a fond expression. “Which reminds me, her next check-up is due next week.”</p><p>Jackson nods. He isn’t very familiar with veterinary medicine, but he’s read enough books to know the very basics of animal care. Again, being from the Ark, he didn’t have much activities to do, except reading and working at Med Bay. So, aside from being their ‘village doctor,’ he’s also the prime veterinarian for their pet dog.</p><p>“You look like you’re both settling in fine,” he comments, moving to till another row of soil while Gaia plants the seeds on the just-broken land.</p><p>“Everything is still the same,” she says, staring into space for a moment before looking at him. “Except for one tiny difference…” She doesn’t continue her sentence, but Jackson knows what she means.</p><p>“I’m happy for you. You both deserve each other.”</p><p>Gaia looks at him over her shoulder, her expression softening as she thinks of Clarke. <em>In love </em>is a wonderful color on her. Jackson considers himself lucky to witness their blooming relationship. In a way, it reminds him of his and Miller’s relationship. Except instead of a bunker that reeks of death, Clarke and Gaia came together in this beautiful paradise.</p><p>After a long few hours of talking and gardening, they retreat into the wooden porch steps, drinking two cups of tea. In all honesty, out of everyone else, Jackson feels most in tune with Gaia, even sometimes more so than Niylah. Both of them are more introverted people, preferring comfortable silence than filling it with a conversation.</p><p>Once Jackson finishes his tea, he spots a figure coming closer out in the distance. It takes him a split second to know that it’s Miller, dressed in the jacket he wore when he left that morning.</p><p>“Hey,” Miller greets, waving his arms once he comes into view. Gaia offers a ‘good morning.’ “Can I borrow you for a sec?” he asks, turning to Jackson. He holds out a hand in front of him, an excited grin on his face.</p><p>Jackson can’t help but match his enthusiasm, taking his partner’s hand and letting himself be pulled to his feet.</p><p>“Thanks for the tea,” he says to Gaia, Miller’s hand still firm against his.</p><p>“Thanks for our garden,” she replies cheekily. Jackson chuckles, the couple waving farewell to their friend before disappearing into the woods.</p><p>“You helped Gaia with their garden?” Miller asks as they walk through the forest.</p><p>“Not much to do,” he shrugs. “I liked being useful.”</p><p>Jackson tries to step forward, but he’s pulled back by the hand, realizing Miller had stopped walking. He turns to his partner, frowning.</p><p>“What?” Jackson asks.</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry I put you off building the house,” Miller says, rubbing his thumb along the back of Jackson’s hand. “But you’ve given me so much, and I wanted to give you something in return.”</p><p>Jackson starts to protest, “Na–“</p><p>“Shh,” Miller takes a step forward, holding both of Jackson’s hands. He’s staring at Jackson through his thick eyelashes. “I mean it. I really hope you like it.”</p><p>“If you made it, I know I will.” Jackson’s face melts into a smile, Miller matching his grin.</p><p>They trek through the forest for a while. They’ve all chosen residences a bit far from the others for privacy, yet nowhere <em>too </em>far in case somebody needs help. And, since Jackson is their primary doctor, he and Miller couldn’t build a house that was too deep into the woods.</p><p>Also, Miller had requested that their home be just a quick walk towards the cool blue lake. They found the perfect settlement with an abundance of trees and healthy soil for their future garden. When Jackson left working on the house, the basic layout was already finished. He wonders what Miller had done to its finishes.</p><p>“Here we are,” Miller says as their cabin comes into view, his grip on Jackson’s hand tightening.</p><p>He could already see their small house made of dark wood from their nearing distance, elevated slightly by a platform. There’s a front porch – something Jackson had wanted but initially thought he wasn’t going to get – with handrails and balusters and two rocking chairs in front of the window.</p><p>Jackson looks at Miller with wide eyes.</p><p>“The goal was to grow old in rocking chairs, right?” he says. Jackson’s heart bursts at that. He remembers telling it to his partner during one of the worse days at the bunker, saying in deep detail all he wanted for their future together. Back then, it was only supposed to take them out of the present, to escape from the awful depression that had tried to wrangle them.</p><p>Jackson didn’t think he’d get to live it. Not in his lifetime.</p><p>“I can’t believe you remembered,” he lets out, voice almost cracking with the deep affection he’s feeling.</p><p>“Of course I did,” is Miller’s quick reply. “It’s what got me through those six years underground.” Jackson could do nothing but stand there, dumbfounded.</p><p>Miller’s hand moves to squeeze his shoulder before walking up ahead. He turns to Jackson. “You coming, babe?”</p><p>Jackson melts into a smile, keeping up with his partner. He places two hands on Miller’s shoulder when he’s behind him, excited at the prospect of seeing the interior of their home. When they climb up the porch, the floor is sturdy, easily supporting both of their weight.</p><p>“Will you do the honors?” Miller moves to the side, gesturing to the door. Jackson doesn’t wait any longer to push it open, welcoming him inside the space.</p><p>It’s better than he could’ve imagined.</p><p>“Wow,” he breathes out, looking around, trying to take it all in.</p><p>The cabin is humbly charming, fitting just enough of their needs. There’s a double-sized bed at the left corner just as you enter, fitted with clean white sheets in a wooden bed frame. A fireplace sits at the right side of the room, a small sofa he recognizes from the bunker’s rec room in front of it.</p><p>“How’d you manage to get that?” Jackson asks, pointing to the grey couch.</p><p>“I bartered Murphy with it for some moonshine,” Miller replies, smirking pridefully. “Good deal, right?” Jackson nods, grinning.</p><p>Tucked away at the far-left corner is a makeshift dining room. There’s a wooden table surrounded by four wonky chairs – all different lengths and sizes. Jackson recognizes some of them as those he made before he got laid off from the project. A large window beside the dining table generously allows light to seep into the room, making the space feel wider.</p><p>What catches Jackson’s eyes the most, though, is a bookshelf at the far-right corner, just beside the back door. It’s filled to the brim with books and other items. He can’t help but float closer to it, still in awe at the quantity of literature stacked up the shelves.</p><p>“I didn’t want you to get bored out here,” Miller explains from behind him as Jackson runs his fingers through the spines of the books. “So, I found a bunch of books in the bunker, mostly manuals, and decided to gift you your own library. Look.” He takes out a raggedy old book from the collection and hands it to Jackson. “For your garden.”</p><p>Jackson takes the book in his hands, the cover worn around the edges. <em>For the Vegetable Gardener by H.C. Frey, </em>it reads. He flips open to a random page and finds illustrations and instructions on growing your food.</p><p>He doesn’t know what to say, too overwhelmed at the sentiment behind this wonderful gift Miller has given him.</p><p>“I know it’s not much, bu–“</p><p>Jackson silences Miller with his mouth, pressing his lips to the other man to convey the intense emotion rumbling behind his ribcage. Miller melts into his touch, hands falling to Jackson’s waist. They stand here for a long time, enjoying this moment, before pulling away.</p><p>“You like it?” Miller asks, a sense of wonder in his brown eyes.</p><p>Jackson smiles. “Nate, I <em>love</em> it. I love <em>you</em>. Thank you.”</p><p>The lovestruck expression on Miller’s face is enough to make Jackson go in for another kiss.</p><p>They’re tempted to take this to their new bed, but Miller isn’t finished with the tour yet. They go out the back porch to the kitchen, with two functioning brick stoves and a flat top between them. His partner excitedly tells him about the solar-powered bulbs Raven built for them, all around the cabin's interior and at the front and back porches.</p><p>The more Miller talks about the house, the more Jackson realizes how much of a team effort this has been. It endears him knowing their friends all had their part in making their home so perfect. Jackson admits he’s never had people care for him this much. It makes his heart swell unnaturally, but it’s a welcome feeling.</p><p>“I have one last surprise,” Miller says when they enter the cabin once again.</p><p>Jackson almost chokes. “Wait, all this… wasn’t everything?”</p><p>Miller shoots him a smirk. “When I said I was giving you a gift, I meant it.” The teasing tone in his voice makes Jackson chuckle.</p><p>Miller walks over to their bed and pulls out a wooden frame from underneath one of the pillows. He turns and shows it to Jackson, and the gift simply takes his breath away.</p><p>It’s a pencil drawing of the two of them with their arms around each other, Miller’s eyes firm on Jackson with a small smile on his face as the doctor is grinning at the ground. He remembers this moment – their second night in this beautiful place, sitting around a campfire with all their friends.</p><p>“I had Clarke make this for you a long time ago. I was waiting to give it to you at the right moment,” Miller says. “It’ll look good on the bookshelf, don’t you think?”</p><p>Jackson is still gaping at the drawing, his mouth running dry all of a sudden. He feels as if he’s dreaming, unable to process all of the love Miller is showering him with.</p><p>“I…” he tries to say. He looks up at his partner. “I don’t know what to say.”</p><p>“Hmm, how about ‘Nate, you’re the best boyfriend ever,’ for starters?” Miller jokes. Jackson laughs, nodding his head.</p><p>“Nate, you’re the best boyfriend ever,” Jackson repeats with a teasing grin.</p><p>“Perfect,” Miller says, beaming. They both laugh, holding the framed drawing in their hands.</p><p>Miller pushes it slightly, and Jackson takes it, both of them walking over to the bookshelf. Jackson props it up at the top shelf, perfectly in their line of sight. His hand slides over Miller’s shoulder, holding him tight against his side.</p><p>Safe to say, this is the best thing anyone has ever given him. Because Miller didn’t just build a house for him; he didn’t just make some wooden rocking chairs or find him a couple of old books.</p><p>Miller gave Jackson a <em>home. </em>For so long, his heart has always taken shelter in Miller’s own chest, and now, it can rest somewhere they can call <em>theirs and theirs alone. </em></p><p>No more war. No more fighting. No more trying to survive.</p><p>Just him and the love of his life, spending the rest of their days in this quaint little cabin – their permanent home.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>